There are growing stories of students from elementary, middle and highschool who experience at various levels bullying; this may come in theform of harassment and torment at the amusement of one person ormultiple persons.Statistics from Health Resources and Services Administration estimatesthat up to 25 percent of American students are bullied and the numbersare rising. According to Jonathan Cohen, President of the Center for Socialand Emotional Education (http://schoolclimate.org/), more than 160,000American students stay home from school on any given day because they'reafraid of being bullied.

Media reports have documented bullying even on college campuses acrossthe country. There is no set economic, cultural demographic, bullying is acrossthe board. During a recent workshop for Cathedral Arts in Jacksonville, Florida,educators discussed the realities of bullying. Bullying will not just go away andschools must be on constant look out for signs and symptoms.Educators and parents must work together to prevent this harassment in theeducational and social systems of society.

Violent Retaliation The recent cases of school shootings, retaliatory assaults and even suicideattempts may have their roots in bullying. In three fourths of the cases studiedfor the "Interim Report on the Prevention of Targeted Violence in Schools"(www.ed.gov/offices/oese/sdfs), student shooters reacted violently to beingbullied by fellow students. Students feel trapped with no alternative to defendthemselves because they feel adults will not support them. In 75 percent ofcases where students used a gun, students planned the attack and almostall cases they told a peer or sibling about their intention to kill. Those entrustedwith the information only told an adult in two of the cases.

As I conduct bullying workshops and talk to kids about cyberbullying, physical,emotional and psychological bullying the discussion is similar in thatparents, teachers, administrators and guidance counselors should listen to kids,developing better connections with kids, and developing a understandingin the school that allows kids to talk freely, openly and honestly.

Kids need to know someone cares from PreK to high school. Never assume achild is “handling a situation” on their own. No one can read a person’s mindor understand their emotional condition without talking to them.

What is Bullying?Many parents do not understand the complexity of bullying schools.In Florida, statute defines bullying as systematically and chronically inflictingphysical hurt or psychological distress through teasing; social exclusion; threats;intimidation; stalking; physical violence; theft; sexual, religious or racialharassment; public humiliation; or destruction of property.This includes the harassment of LGBT students who face taunting, discriminationand even death threats. The tragic events that have happened on school buses,lunch rooms and classrooms are in many cases retaliation against bullies. Whenstudents feel they have nowhere else to turn they strike out against theirtormentors.

Empowering FamiliesThe quote; "It takes a village to raise children"Stated several times by Mrs. Hillary Clinton, truer words have not been spokenabout raising children in the twenty and twenty-first century. Children are exposed tomany challenges, but schools should be a safe haven, a refuge from bullying,harassment, discrimination, physical and emotional harm. The results of bullyinglast a life time of emotional turmoil that parents must address.Resources to aid parents in helping them to deal with bullying if their childrenare exposed, experiencing or involved in bullying.The first course of action is for parents to talk to their children about being bulliedor if they are the bully. There should be empathy for those that are bulliesbecause this shows underlying challenges that must be addressed, not justthrough punishment, but counseling and treatment.